Counting device for printing-presses.



No. 657,781. Patented Sept. II, I900. J. W. LEARY.

COUNTING DEVICE FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

(Application filed June 6,1900.) (No ModeI.)

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JEROME W. LEARY, OF PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE ALUMINUMPLATE AND PRESS COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE AND NEW YORK, N. Y.

,COUNTlNG DEVICE FOR PRINTING-PRESS ES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 657,781, datedSeptember 11, 1900;

Application filed June 5, 1900. Serial No. 19,108. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEROME W. LEARY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Plainfield, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Count-in g Devicesfor Printing Presses,of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a counting device forprinting-presses or other machines which is adapted to be operated bythe movement of a part of the machine in one direction and allow themovement of said part of the machine in the opposite direction withoutinjury to the counting device.

In the preferred application of my invention a counting device of anysuitable constructionis provided with a rock-arm arranged to beintermittently engaged by a pin or lug carried by a rotating part of themachine to which it is applied. The operating rock-arm is prepared witha-knuckle-joint, so as to register the movement of the part in onedirection and at the same time allow movement of the said part in thereverse direction without injury to the counting mechanism. The twoparts of the counter-operating arm are pivotally connected and formedwith engaging shoulders to constitute the knucklejoint. A spring ispreferably mounted upon one of the sections of the arm, so as to engagethe other section and yieldingly hold the two sections in the desirednormal relation.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I will firstdescribe the same with relation to the accompanying drawings and willafterward point out the novelty more particularly in the annexed claims.

In said drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of part of a printingpress having a counting device applied thereto embodying my invention.Fig. 2 is a detail view of the knuckle-jointed operating-arm of thecounting device.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention I have shown it applied toa counting device arranged in accordance with the invention of Edward O.Seymour, who filed an application for patent thereon May 22, 1900,SerialNo. 17,567, said invention consisting of a device for throwing acounting device into or out of operation.

1 indicates a part of the press-frame of a rotary printing-press.

2 is the plate or form cylinder, journaled in frame'l.

dis the impression-cylinder, mounted upon the shaft 5, which isjournaled in eccentricbearing bushings 6, said bushings being in turnjournaled in the machine-frame I and formed with integral arms 7, whichare connected with any suitable operating mechanism, such astoggle-links S U, by which they are operated for moving theimpression-cylinder into and out of operative relation with the plate orform cylinder.

is a counting device of any approved construction. This device ismounted to slide in a bracket 11, secured to the press-frame and formedwith guide-flanges 12.

13 is a link connecting the counting device with one of theeccentric-bearing bushings 6. This last-described device-via, theconnecting-arm bet-ween the counting device and the eccentricbearingdoes not comprise a part of any invention, and I do not limit mydevice to a machine having this particular form of construction.

l6 17 are inner and outer sections or parts of the operating rock-arm ofthe counting mechanism. The inner section 16 is suitably connected withthe internal operating meclr anism of the counting device 10, so thatevery complete stroke of the arm I6 17 will register one number in thecounting device. The outer end of the part or section 16 is formed witha beveled face or shoulder 16, while the inner end of the part orsection 17 is formed with a yoke 18, which straddles the outer end ofpart 16 and is pivotally connected therewith by a pivotpin 19. The innerface of the yoke 18 of the part 17 is beveled at l8 to correspond withthe shape of the shoulder 16 of the part 16, so that when the parts 1617 are arranged in line, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, the beveledfaces of the two parts will lock and form an arm which is rigid todownward pressure upon section 17.

is a leaf-spring set into a notch 26 of the part 17 and extended over tothe part 16,

which it engages. When the parts 16 17 are in operative positionthat is,in linethe spring 25 engages the under face of the part 16 and holdssaid part in this position with a yielding pressure. When, on the otherhand, the outer section or part 17 is moved upwardly with relation topart 16, the spring 25 will engage the beveled face 16 on part 16 andhold the parts in this relative position, as shown in dotted lines inthe drawings.

20 is a collar adjustably mounted upon the projecting end of theimpression -cylinder shaft 5 by means of set-screws 21. The collar 20supports a pin, lug, or screw 22, which in its rotation engages thecounter-operating arm 16 and moves it downwardly and registers itsrevolution upon the counter.

It will be observed that when the machine is operating, theimpressioncylinder being in operative relation to the form-cylinder, thepin, lug, or screw 22 will engage the outer part 17 of thecounter-operating arm and depress it sufficiently to actuate thecounter, the pin or lug 22 passing around out of engagement with the armand allowing its spring mechanism inside of the counter to return it tonormal elevated position in readiness to receive another stroke the nexttime the pin or lug 22 comes around This is the normal operation of thedevice.

The value of my invention will be clear from the following observations:In case the impressioncylinder or.other part which operates the countingmechanism is backed up or rotated in the reverse direction, so as tocause the pin or lug 22 to engage beneath the counter-operating arm, itwill be clear that the operating-arm will break joint at the pivot 19,as above explained. If the operating-arm were formed in a single rigidpiece, this backward movement of the impressioncylinder would break thecounting mechanism. My invention is also important because it makes itpossible to throw out of operation the counting mechanism while thepress is printing the dead sheets or first lot of sheets which arepassed through the press to test the register, the inking, and generaloperation of the press. \Vith the common construction of sheetcountersfor printingpresses these dead sheets are registered upon the counter,and unless the operator is particular in noting the indicators of thecounter after he has finished printing these dead sheets and testing themachine he will not have an accurate count of the sheets printed. Withmy improved counter, however, the dead sheets are not counted, and anaccurate count of the sheets printed for use is obtained.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine, the combination with a counting device, and a revolvingshaft, of an actuating-arm for said counting device composed of twopivotally-connectcd parts, of a pin revolving with said shaft andadapted to engage said arm for the purposes of operating same Whilemoving in one direction and throwing it out of operation while moving inthe other direction as set forth.

2. In a machine, the combination with a counting device, a revolvingshaft and a counter-actuating pin rotating with said shaft, of anactuating-arm for said counting device composed of two parts and havinga kn ucklcjoint between said parts, and a spring at taehed to one ofsaid parts and adapted to bear against the other of said parts, for thepurposes set forth.

JEROME WV. LEARY.

Witnesses:

J. GREEN, P. W. HALL.

